Eye of the Storm
by OneDayAtATime
Summary: Formerly 'Everlong'. Even after the deaths of Aerrow, Radarr, and Finn, the remainders of the Storm Hawks will continue fighting for their belief. But can they move on when the past catches up? Set after 14 years from current show. OCs and possible SxP
1. 01 Three Roses

I do not own Storm Hawks. If I do, it wouldn't be famous at all. Set after three years from the current time line (the show) - here Piper would be 17, Junko would be 18, and Stork would be 23.

--

**01 THREE ROSES**

She was the last person to give her eulogy. She hated that word. As soon as Stork numbly returned to his seat, Piper slowly sat up from the front row, and made her way to the podium. She looked up. Hanging highly against the wall, was a banner with the smiling faces of their sleeping heroes.

It was a picture they took from their trip to Terra Tropica last year. She definitely remembered that day. They managed to outrun another episode of death, and _he_ decided to reward themselves with a small trip of sun, sand, and beach… which later escalated into a day of tossing sands at each other. They were so full of life, unlike her last memory of them in their last battlefield. She hesitated before she turned around to gaze at a sea of faces that filled the hangar of the Condor. They were faces she knew from all their travels; all here to give their last respect. None of them wore black, just like _he_ wanted.

She had three stalks of roses, one for each coffin in front of her. It hurts her eyes to see those metal caskets. Piper wished it was all a dream; she would wake up, and laugh with all of them during breakfast. She had been wishing for it for days. She shakily lifted the first stalk.

"Radarr was more than A-Aerrow's…"

It was painful to say _his_ name.

"…co-pilot. He was a great and loyal companion. He was brave, because even though he knew the dangers, pain and sacrifices we have to endure, he still fights alongside us. That's why he walks among heroes." As she ended it, she heard a sad 'ba-cawk!' somewhere in the corner. She still can't figure out what made that sound every time she walked down the hallway of the Condor, but she couldn't care about it right now. She laid the first rose on the coffin before she moved on to the second casket.

She plucked the second rose from her loose grip. "Finn," she forced a small smile. "…was the best sharpshooter and friend this crew could ever ask for. Also," She scanned the crowd and found the faces of Terra Vapos. "…a fair, wise, and great Domo. His presence was proof of blessing in his name, as he provides smiles even in time of danger." She sniffed. "We shall forever honor his name; as a hero, a Domo, and most of all, a friend." The old King wept silently, and Piper allowed a few of her first tears of the day to fall as well. She laid down the rose.

With a shuffle, she made a painful stop to the last casket… it was the hardest. "Aerrow…"

A strangled sob was pushed down. She was never prepared for this. They were the Storm Hawks. They were young. They were going to live forever. _He_ promised.

"…represents the best of us. He believed in what we all have forgotten about – a vision of peace, harmony, equality…." Tears were threatening to spill. "And most of all, love." Amongst the crowd, tired survivors nodded their heads. "He loved to soar, to fly… he loved the sky. To him, it is freedom; it belongs to everyone – that is why he fights. That is why Aerrow was a Sky Knight, and the true embodiment of the 'Storm Hawks'." She laid the last rose on their insignia, which was boldly imprinted on the metallic coffin. The white rose contrasted highly against the dreary metal. Piper couldn't choose red, especially when it reminds her of his blood that caked his hair and his smile. She desperately wanted to remember his red hair instead.

She turned to Starling, who was waiting by the hangar entrance at the far end. Even from that distance, she could tell that the Interceptor's eyes were rimmed with red - a sure sign that she had been crying since she arrived that morning. With a nod, she pulled a lever down which lowered the ramp of the ship.

With another move, other sky nights appeared by the 3 coffins and lifted them gently off the pedestal. The crowd parted as the caskets made its way through them with Piper, Stork, and Junko (who was heavily bandaged. Being the meat shield of the last mission, he took quite a brunt, leaving his right arm paralyzed and his right eye damaged. Stork had to replace them with cybernetic ones) following closely behind. Some would tap the metal coffin lightly, some whispered goodbye, and some would break into hysterical sobs as they go by. Piper wanted to release her anguish like them, but she must stay strong - like how he wants her to.

When they reached the end, the caskets were lowered onto the makeshift rails. The navigator stroked their coffins one last time before she trudged heavily to the button next to the hangar. She lifted a palm and felt the round device under her palm, but she couldn't do it. Piper hated goodbyes, and this will be permanent. She bit her lip. Her vision became watery. She lowered her head, only to feel something brushing against the back of her hand. She lifted her eyelids to see two other hands layered on top of hers. Junko and Stork looked back at her, pain apparent in their eyes as well. She nodded, and together, they heard the button go "beep".

"Fly my friends… you are free." She announced. And with that, the coffins rocketed into the sky. They will go up, higher as they can go, free from the pain this world had thrust them into, forever being one with the big blue they chose to embrace.

--

_ Yes, it's strange and we don't know if it's possible to give anyone a sky burial. I'm thinking that the coffins will continue to climb vertically, and it would stay afloat in outer space forever once it runs out of gas. Thanks for your time, readers.  
_


	2. 02 Young Bloods

Sorry for the long delay. On with the story. Again, they are not mine, blah.

--

**02 YOUNG BLOODS**

**-11 years later-**

It was hard to believe that a minute ago, everything was peaceful on board the Condor. But now, the hallways was decked with red flashes of light accompanied by the deafening echoes of the alarm. Various item were sliding across the floor, unsure where gravity started or ended.

"Situation: Doom number 52. Three minutes, little birdies." A voice drawled over the intercom.

A lone figure, literally armed to the teeth, bolted towards her destination in a fluid grace; and when she got there, she was forced to grip hard onto the door frame to keep her from skidding into the next room. "Oi! Creep!" Her rough voice startled the occupant of the crystal room.

The youngest of the crew held his breath as a red crystal fell out of his full arms. Miraculously, a harmless TINK! reached his ears above the din, and he allowed his breath to escape with a whoosh. It obviously wasn't one of the explosive crystals. He glared at the intruder. "Just a moment, Limpet. Standard procedures." He reminded her before he grabbed the dud off the floor with his tail, stashed all the crystals and notebooks respectively into their slots with an amazing accuracy of speed, and quickly secured the latch of the safe. Creep proceeded to pretend flipping the switches above it and then dashed towards the hangar. The Condor lurched again, but he safely bounced off the walls with his feet like a reptar he is. Satisfied with this one, Limpet quickly shimmied sideways to the last room in the hallway.

She was about to slam her fist onto the door, when it suddenly slid open. Time seemed to stop when her fist connected with the face of the resident sharpshooter, and her face slowly spread into horror. It had been comical, if her hand hadn't been introduced to _his_ face of all people. "Oh.. my..." She mouthed. She watched his gloriously grey eyes widen as he took his time to register the pain. With a growl, he reached for his nose and shot her a look. Every nerve in Limpet's body wanted to die. "Zhayne, I'm..."

"Two minutes." Announced the intercom again. Just then, the Condor righted itself.

Zhayne nudged Limpet to the side, and he took off to the hangar with his crossbow bouncing against his thighs. Limpet's fins (which happened to shape her exterior ears) drooped at his retreating back, but she immediately hunched herself up and followed after him, expertly zig-zagging to avoid the traps and various flying objects in the ship.

Upon arrival, she noticed her chief leaning against the entrance of the docking bay, his left hand resting urgently on the lever. She gave him a quick nod before hopping onto her skimmer. To her right was Creep revving his vehicle in delight, and furthest away is Zhayne hunching over his skimmer. He was forming a bruise in the middle of his face and possibly suppressing a steam. Like the others, she quickly snapped on her custom-made full face helmet (a new compulsory rule enforced by the Authority of Atmosia). "All here, chief-o." She saluted with two fingers.

"Fly fast and far, everyone." Was all that Junko said to them before he tug at the lever. The kids immediately kicked the safety latch off their vehicles, and let themselves loose in the clear blue skies of Atmos with some yells of excitement. The wallop wasted no time to get to his skimmer and sped out of the Condor. "We're clear." He radioed.

"Copy that." Came the muzzled reply.

When Junko caught up to the youngsters, they were at a considerable distance away from the Condor and swooping around until they see two more skimmers exit the condor at high speed. "Nice of you to join us!" He hollered over to their arriving companions.

"Wouldn't miss it." Came a dreary reply from the pilot.

The captain nodded to her helmsman. "Time left?"

The merb checked his timepulse before he pulled out a curious device from his side. His yellow eyes never left the watch as he pointed it at the Condor and tilted it downwards. At the same time, the condor dipped downwards and it began to descend slowly, as if the engines had been cut off. "Right about..." the edge of his lips quirked downwards while his thumb felt a button. "Now." And on cue, brilliant display of light shot out of the ship, creating a mess of boom in the sky and fizzles of colour. It was accompanied by a series of whoops, mostly from Limpet, Creep, and Junko. "Never get tired of that." Junko smiled.

"Always wondered where you kept them fireworks, Stork." Limpet grinned as she hovered around him.

Stork's eye twitched slightly. "Apparently... far from disasters like you, who would surely find _creative_ ways to make our demise go boom within a rainbow of agonizing death." He replied almost nonchalantly. He then steered the condor up with his remote control. "What now, captain?" He asked the woman who was flying closely to him.

The captain arced her delicate eyebrow. "Inspection, of course."

--

It has been 11 years since Master Cyclonis' reign came to an abrupt halt. And although Cyclonians are slowly diminishing their terror in the skies and truce had been called out on every terra, Atmos was still at the edge of their seats. Nobody knew what became of the young empress. They tried to comfort themselves by confirming that the legendary Aerrow of the Storm Hawks had taken her and the Dark Ace down with him; but because her body was never found, most believed that she had slipped, and was slowly bidding her time, gathering her armies elsewhere on some uncharted face of Atmos. Battle scars that maimed every terra during Cyclonis' last invasion constantly reminded the citizens of the possible threat. As a result, sky knights still rule the sky, weapons at ready should such circumstances rise again. Thus, Stork had compiled a thick book of manuals/guides/procedures over the years should any form of doom would reach up and swallow the residents of the Condor. Doom number 52 is among his favourite drill:

_What happens, when they suddenly find themselves in an enemy territory, blasting them out of the skies when they least expect it? What would they do when the Condor is failing? What would happen to their valuable information or crystals once it crashes into the ground? What would the enemy do once they scavenge the wreckage and get a hold of their documents and stashes?_

Everyone followed their captain closely as she went through every important room in the Condor. Every now and then, she would step to the side before the door opens, casually letting piles of item slide past her safely before resuming her mission within each room. She was currently in the crystal room, nodding in satisfaction.

Creep bashfully shuffled his foot. "I even flipped the switches to destroy the safe." He grinned.

Piper advanced towards the security screen and hit the playback button. Indeed, Creep had indicated that he flipped all of it. "Very good." She said before she exited to the last room. The new crystal specialist's smile faltered after that, when he realized that he has some serious cleaning up to do.

Zhayne's room was easy. He was their newest member, even though he had joined them for more than half the year now. Since he was from Amazonia, he brought very few belongings with him. Among the first few things they made him do was to read Stork's survival guide, and it proved useful especially today. Except... "What's wrong with your face, Zhayne?" Piper questioned. Zhayne felt his sore nose. He opened his mouth, ready to say that he accidentally fell on his face, but Limpet cut in.

"I... uh... I was gonna knock, y'see..." Limpet casted Zhayne an apologetic look. It was no point in lying anyway. security cameras were carefully installed in every nook of the ship (including the air vents), except their rooms and the toilet. Zhayne returned her apology with a glint of hardness in his eyes. She winced.

Piper glanced between the two and let go an inaudible sigh. "You would have been an intruder with a weapon in hand, Limpet." She turned to Zhayne. "And you should be more cautious. You're a Sky Knight now," She emphasized the word strongly. "...and reflexes should be your first instinct. We cannot afford to let anything happen to each other, because each and everyone of us might as well be responsible for the fate of Atmos," she chastised. Zhayne nodded his head, but the captain didn't miss him balling his fist. "The same goes to you, Limpet." She finished before she strode away, a sure signal that everyone should start cleaning up.

"Yes, ma'am." Limpet meekly responded.

Junko scratched the back of his neck. "Don't worry about it, guys." He offered. "you guys did great today, and what the Captain means is that you're smarter now, so you would know what to do next time." He smiled.

Limpet managed a weak grin. "She's stiff, that one." The native of Terra Aquanos sighed. "But yeah, she's right the same. I coulda mucked up if it were real." She looked at her arms, and stared disdainfully at her spurs just near her wrists. Zhayne was really lucky. She reached towards the Amazonian. "Hey, man.. I..."

Zhayne stepped away from her. "Even at practise I prove myself a failure." He growled lowly, more to himself. Limpet's hand dropped to her side, her mouth opening to say something.

"Then there no reason for you to be part of us."

"Stork!" Junko exclaimed. "How can you say that? He definitely isn't a failure - Piper asked him to join us, after all."

Stork held up his index finger. "Exactly." Zhayne cocked his head to look up the tall figure. "So if you start thinking yourself a failure, then you're disgracing the honor given to you. We need the best of Atmos, for Atmos." The merb made his way to the bridge. "And you were chosen to help defend all of Atmos after all."

Zhayne can only blink.

--

"You were too hard on them this morning."

"Hm?" Piper looked up from the map to her pilot. "What do you mean?"

Stork switched the auto pilot on before turning to face his captain. "They are just young, captain." He risked. "It takes time for them to get used to this, and even more for experience."

The captain cum navigator put down her measuring stencil. "And they need to know what could have happened, and fast. Isn't that why you who suggested this whole drill in the first place?" She returned with a frown on her face. "Besides, when we were--"

"They are not us, Piper." Instantly, Stork was in front of her. "They are NOT _them_."

Piper glared into his yellow eyes, daring him to say that again. "And I intend to stop it from happening again." Her eyes lit up adamantly.

Stork sighed, breaking contact with her amber eyes. "So do I, Piper... so do I." He combed his hand through his dark hair. "But..." He reached forward to cup her face, startling the dark woman with his sudden move. "You're living in the past." He searched for something on her face. "Isn't it time you stop punishing yourself? What happened, happened. No one was to blame." He said gently.

Piper reached her hands up and clasped them over his four-fingered ones, only to pull them off her slowly. "It still hurts, Stork." She let her head dip a little. "I still think about--"

"Captain...?" Junko's voice peeked through the hall. The moment he appeared, Stork was back at the controls, and Piper greeted him with a quirk on the side of her lips. Her neck strained to look up as he approached her. He had definitely grown over 7 feet, and a lot of modification had been done to the Condor to accommodate the Wallop; including the size of their fridge.

Piper cocked her head to the side. "Is something wrong, Junko?" She asked, her concern evident.

Junko shrugged slightly. "Well, it's waaay out late in the night," He paused, "and I think it's kinda inappropriate if I were to walk in on Creep's bedtime. Long story short," he held out his cybernetic arm. "I just thought that I need you to take a lot at this."

Piper leaned in to look over his knuckle buster (which was wielded into it). Some crystals were starting to have faint cracks. "Oh, Junko.. this really looks shot."

"Must've strained it this evening when I was clearing the hangar." Junko shrugged. "But... how bad is it?"

Piper shook her head. "Not too bad, but the crystals can only take about..." She looked closer at it. "Maybe four more beatings. I wouldn't recommend it though, so I guess we need to make a stop in Atmosia to replace these."

Stork flicked his ear. "So are we heading to Atmosia tonight, captain?"

Piper shook her head. "No... Dock the Condor safely on the upcoming terra, Stork. We'll only leave when we're all fresh come afternoon."

Stork nodded. "Aye, captain."

--

Red eyes looked over the sky as he sat on his favourite perch. He can smell the dampness in the sky. Rain is coming, he knows it, and he will be the storm over Atmos. He just needs time. Just a bit more.

--

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

Sorry for the slow chapter. I'll do my best to upbeat the next one. Here, Piper would be 28, Junko is 29, and Stork is 34. Introducing the younger crew:

-**Limpet** is as you can guess, is a native of Terra Aquanos. You can expect her to be in the shade of turquoise, with some cerulean streaks across her limbs and the side of her face. Her eyes are a nice shade of sky blue. She is junko's protégé, and she handles the maintenance of the ship and skimmers alongside Junko (he trusts her with the tasks while he works more on enhancing their weapons). She is quite adept in hand-to-hand combat (since she has spurs), but nowhere as skillful as Piper when it comes to Sky-Fu; she prefers using her wrench anyway. She is around 19 years old and she stands at 5'3".

-**Creep** is a reptar, sort of one of the reptilian race that reside on Terra Bogaton. He is moss green in color whereas his eyes are tangerine yellow. Creep is Piper's protégé in handling crystals (since Piper is now the captain of the condor, and she can only do so much as a tactitian, a delegate, a navigator, a financial planner, a manager, and cook). He constantly wears his special yellow peepers wherever he goes (he could shift it to x-ray, night vision, heat vision, or set it to shade) which he inherited from his uncle who was a scientist. Full of creativity, he lets the others create his inventions (namely Stork or Limpet). His other talents include stealth and infiltration. To reptilians, he appears to have a speech impediment (he just rarely ever hisses). He is only 12, and he stands at 4'9".

-**Zhayne** is a quiet character from Terra Amazonia. Assuming that the terra favors girls more than boys, so it's quite a challenge for him when he left his home (imagine people telling ladies they can't do certain things because they're girls, so it's quite the opposite for the men there. I'm not a sexist, I assure you). He has dark brown hair, a nicely tanned skin, and grey eyes. He has a few red tattoos on his face and wrists. He has a vast knowledge on herbal lore, making him their resident medic although his method is more traditional. He is 17 years old, and stands at 5'7".

Hopefully, I can come up with some sketches of them soon so I don't have to describe them that much. I think I have an ideal look for stork in this era in my DA account (celestial4ever.). Check it out if you please. Plus, I'm sorry for the OOCs with out favorite characters. I intend to experiment with them, seeing that years of beating themselves up for their past mistakes can change a person.

Thanks for reading.


	3. 03 The Joke

**03 THE JOKE**

There is just something about the weather today that irritated her. It's blue, calm, breezy, cheerfully cloudy. Also, too perfect. The only hint of agitation it offered was the absence of flying creatures; except them, the machines of war.

She leaned her body forward and rested it over the railings. She looked around. Almost all of Atmos is present, and the sky seemed to suffocate under the collection of emotions that pulsed through every warship.

Warship. The foreign word tingled the back of her head with a slight disgust. She had always believed that with civilization, inventions were meant to make people's lives better. Instead, some would always find ways to abuse its convenience. Then again, she reasoned to herself, it falls on the purpose of these destructive machinery. Freedom has a price after all, and today is the day it should prove its worth.

"Hey." A familiar voice sliced through the thick air.

Piper turned her head at the approaching figure. "Hey there." She returned with a smile.

Aerrow joined his navigator on the deck, and they both returned to observing the occupants of every Sky Knight's ship. Each face has a story. Some looked scared. Some looked determined. And for those who are ready to embrace death, looked enviously calm. Through some windows, they can make out silhouettes of lovers sharing their last kiss, parents and children embracing each other for strength, and friends sharing their possibly last joke and laughter. And yet, they can make out certain faces that seek revenge on this final battle. Do they really believe they can achieve enclosure through this?

"The weather's perfect." The Sky Knight broke the silence.

Piper nodded. "Yeah." She tilted her head slightly so she can get a good look at him.

Aerrow had grown taller over the years, and his face had shaped into the wisdom and maturity he carried in his young body. She admired his emerald eyes. It's so full of strength, and although naïve, she loved how it shines with a strong will and belief. Those are the eyes that will always seek out the good worth fighting for. The eyes of a hero. He then smiled. "It would be perfect to go for a vacation at Terra Tropica when this is over."

It's Piper's turn to smile. "I'd like that." She patted his hand. And then, she did not expect his hand to close around hers.

They stayed like that for a while longer. Sometimes, when you've spent years with a person, you might think that you've shared a bond so strong, you don't even need to exchange words that much. The other would think that he or she can read your mind, or feel how you feel. All you need is the other's presence to complete you, and hold on to the trust you've built together.

And at that moment, they decided that they never regretted leaving their youth. Something in the back of their minds felt, or somehow, knew that there's no telling if tomorrow will ever come. Years of unspoken emotions uncoiled within them, allowing his lips to touch hers tenderly… and they realized that they never did need wings to fly.

On that day, they had become each other's strength.

Who knew it would be the last day anyone ever heard her laugh.

--

The ceiling slowly blurred into existence. Blinking the tears away, the captain of the Condor slowly sat up. The long forgotten memory had snuck its way to torture her again, the kind that always make her insides twist a painful knot, and craving for a wish that can never be realized. It was a dream that left her feeling that life has a sick sense of humor, laughing at one's misfortune like it was another joke. It wasn't a dream. It was a nightmare.

Piper picked up her time pulse. "2 more hours to sunrise." She murmured. Yet, she decided to stay awake for now. After pulling on a pair of track bottom over her undergarments, she carefully made her way to their training room. Maybe she will find solace there.

--

_Sorry for the short chapter. I'm being kept busy nowadays, juggling between work and freelance. I will try to update as soon as I can anyway._

_Again, thanks for your time, readers._


	4. 04 Old News

**04 OLD NEWS**

The box landed on the table with a soft "thunk!" before proceeding to quietly grate against the marble surface as it was slid over. What followed next were some folders.

She raised a violet eyebrow, although her face was a perfect mask of void. "And this is all of it?" She inquired while she studied the person who passed it to her. Through her veteran eyes, he looked visibly shaken, but years of private reconnaissance training would make anyone miss it.

He nodded in affirmation. "All of it." He confirmed. "Based on these reports and observance, that would explain certain questions… or raise more of it."

She opened one of the folders. "Looks more like the latter." She responded. She continued to read through another page before looking up at him. He had been patiently waiting for her orders, but his attention had been on the small box with obvious disturbance. He looked up the moment she put down the folder.

"Very well, then." She sat back into her chair.

* * *

_89_

She watched another drop of sweat staining the floor in front of her.

_90_

More wet dots.

_91_

She observed how the wet edges suddenly morph into a bigger pattern.

_92_

She stopped doing her push-ups. The puddle was beginning to look red to her.

Piper pushed herself up, flipped onto her back and rested her arms. She looked up at the ceiling and listened to the soft humming pulsing through the ship. Day after day, she had always been here, hoping to distract herself. And yet, there has to be something that would bother her. After peeling herself off the cold floor, she made her way to the kitchen instinctively.

"Hey." She greeted the tall and slim figure by the hall.

Stork cocked his head to her direction, a fresh towel still on this head. He nodded to her. "Up early again?"

The captain casually shrugged and continued to walk past him, but he followed her to the kitchen. While she washed her hands and face, he pulled out a glass of milk for her. Piper accepted it. "Thanks, Stork."

"Well, can't have the captain dying of dehydration and malnutrition on us." He said before he poured another glass for himself. "And I think we need a sane one too."

Piper put down her glass slowly. "Are you instigating something?" She challenged.

Stork stared at her blankly. "Depends on how you see it. We don't want one who always pumps herself for a fight and might kill us when she thought she saw something she didn't." He shrugged. Stork nervously watched his companion fiddle with her glass, in case she might hurl it at him.

Instead, she watched him with a strange expression. "I don't need therapy, Stork. Period." She finished with a gulp and made to wash the glass. "Why is it when it comes to conversations with you, everything is always about death anyway?" she murmured.

He held up a finger. "I accepted it." He pointed at her. "You apparently, haven't."

"You're a nutcase." She flicked some water at him.

"I fly the ship too." He returned while fretfully wiping the water droplets in case of transferred disease. "For how many years now?" He eerily grinned a while later.

Piper stared at him a little more before she rolled her eyes. Her need for a hot shower was cut short when she noticed the light flashing on the radio.

* * *

"Are you sure about this, little buddy?" Junko asked incredulously.

Creep looked up from his list. "A hundred percent. Besides, that's what I confirmed with the captain this morning." He handed over a small pouch of coins to the Nimbarian shopkeeper, a humanoid race resembling a praying mantis with four arms. While the it was busy summing up their pay, Creep tug at Junko's mechanical arm and scrutinized the empty slots. "And from what I can understand, this thing needs a bit more fine tuning to the crystals. These crystals are pure energy, and this arm depends on electrical message from brain synapses," he noticed Junko's confused face. "Energy clash." He summarized.

Junko nodded, despite not fully understanding the young raptor. "Well, you're the crystal expert."

Creep smiled at that and puffed out his chest. "Can we have some kebabs now?" He grinned toothily.

Junko smiled. After adding the package to their backpack, the duo found their way to the market, making strangers smile when they saw a young raptor happily riding on Junko's shoulders.

"There!" Creep pointed excitedly at some figures busy haggling with vendors over rare plants. "Hey guys! Over here!" The young Storm Hawks waved his arms enthusiastically at the other members in the distance.

Limpet turned her head at them. "Well, lookie here." She left Zhayne to bargain alone and walked over to the two. "Got what ya need?" She asked.

"Seems like it." Junko scratched his head. He jabbed a thumb at Creep. "But according to the whiz kid, there is still a bit of work that needs to be done, though."

The younger mechanic nodded her head understandingly. "Captain and creep filled me in on it this morn, chief-o. Bet we can whip up with somethin' real quick once we get back to the Condor."

Zhayne shuffled noiselessly to them with his newly acquired possession. "It doesn't look like soon, though."

Junko greeted him with a nod. "Well, since they haven't buzzed us, what say we head over to the all-you-can-eat buffet at Mac's? I heard they are serving pickled gorn-tongues today." He licked his lips. "Bet you would like that, don't you little buddy?" He smiled at Creep.

The hatchling smiled wider. "That sounds great!"

Zhayne groaned. "This will take hours, won't it?"

Limpet ceased her grimace. "Uhm… ya know, my Aunt Mayda just set up a branch here. Would ya like to check that out, chief-o? It's got the same menu as the sky shanty." She offered. "The same vinegar too." She added.

Junko considered it for a while and then smiled. "Let's go then! Lead the way, Limpet."

Limpet exhaled in relief and turned around. "Follow me, then."

Zhayne fell into step next to her. "That was a good save."

She shrugged. "I'd rather not watch them go crazy at the buffet table again." She whispered back. "Besides, I need to see my aunt anyway."

Zhayne scratched his chin. "It's been over three hours now. I wonder what the council meeting is about?"

Limpet sighed. "Can be bad or good. Then again, the captain is never cheerful after one." She pointed out.

"She's never happy." Zhayne corrected her.

"Looks who's talking." Limpet threw back.

Junko leaned over and put his arms around the duo. "Enough, guys. And Zhayne, that's not how you should talk about your captain."

Zhayne turned his head towards Junko. "But it's true, Big-J. When you see her smile, it always looks forced. I know I have problems, but she looks as if she has a huge chip on her shoulder that she refuses to fix."

Junko sighed and shook his head. When Limpet and Creep suddenly grew quiet, Zhayne took the cue to end the conversation and concentrated on their trip.

* * *

Dreadful, boring, paranoid old people. Arrogant, selfish, power-hungry young commanders. A majority of them are so superficial, and too few leaders the world can trust under one roof. Here, they would always bicker about nonsensical or minuscule matters. As always, Piper played the spectator, sometimes wondering when someone would start throwing their seats at each other.

_'What a way to celebrate the 11-year peace in Atmos,'_ She thought glumly. She tilted to the side of her seat, because there was enough space for her to.

Another reason the captain of the Condor detested about attending these gatherings is their blatant discrimination. There are always empty seats next to where she and her companion would sit, except the occasional few familiar faces once in a while. And yet, The biggest reason she hated being here is the stink of politics - their pockets should come first; the benefit of the people would come later. She sometimes wonder where the corruption began. Piper glanced over to her side. Her right-hand man was beginning to twitch involuntarily. She returned her gaze towards the person at the podium.

"But how will we ever know?" Someone to her right hollered at the officer who was giving his presentation.

Gideon, the veteran informer of Atmos looked away from his slide. '_Here it comes_,' Piper thought.

"As you can see, new problems have aroused in the eastern side of Terra Lutharia." The informer started. "We thought it may be Murk Raiders expanding their territory, but it looks a little too out of character for them to be away from their usual haunting place." He clicked on the controller to the next slide. "This is the pattern since two months ago." He clicked again. "And this is just last week. It seems that the origin of the problem starts on this-" he took out his laser pointer and circles an area on the map. "-small area. We don't know what caused the sudden shift of air current and how it is linked to the Murk Raiders yet, but it's hard to tell especially when the air currents are deterring our scouts from investigating the area and natural disasters preventing the other way in."

Piper felt a soft nudge in her side and found Stork watching her from the corner of his eyes. She dipped her head slightly to indicate her affirmation. She turned her head again, and found the person she looking for behind Officer Gideon. Starling greeted Piper with a mutual glance.

Thankfully, the council ended three hours after that, shorter than its usual eight hours or three days record. Piper leaned against the cool wall in the corner of the ballroom with Stork, a glass of drink in hand. A movement in her peripheral vision caught her eye, and she turned to see the ex-Interceptor striding her way across the room towards Piper.

"I swear, Captain… every time I see you, your hair gets even shorter." Starling said the moment she walked up to the leader of the Storm Hawks.

"Officer Starling." Piper greeted the newcomer politely, and then tugged at her dark blue pixie cut. "I find it easy to maintain, actually. So how are Finch and Robyn?"

The other woman smiled. "Finch is starting to look like his father everyday. I still can't believe that he will be nine in a couple of months." Starling beamed proudly. "Robyn just turned five two weeks ago."

Piper smiled back. "Wow. Time really flies. I still remember babysitting Finch when he was her age. I still have his drawing on the fridge."

Starling agreed with Piper, and then she put down her drink. "So how do you find the topic today, Captain Piper?"

Piper frowned. "It was definitely intriguing and highly disturbing."

Starling smiled out of courtesy. "Is it now?" She subtly changed her expression to a tone of seriousness. "I think I would want to retire to my office. Care to catch up with some old news?"

Piper returned a matching smile. "I don't see why not." Together, they walked through the halls of the great Atmos Council Halls, once in a while ignoring suspicious gazes and accusations along their way. Stork wasn't too far behind them by the time they reached Starling's office.

By the time the thick doors closed, Piper began to speak. "So what exactly is this about?"

Starling went straight to her desk and sat down. "I thought it may be something you could tell me."

"Meaning?" The other woman inquired.

Starling let her emerald eyes meet Piper's amber ones. "I know you're smarter than that, Captain Piper. Please," She motioned at the empty seats opposite her. "Make yourselves comfortable." As soon as her companions are seated, Starling continued. "I believe I do have some explaining to do first."

"Indeed." Stork mumbled. "Not only did you drag us into a room full of people who not only make us feel unwelcome, but into a case that in a way you seem to relate to us?"

"Very good, Stork." Starling nodded appraisingly. "But I must first apologize about the council members. I know you understand that after the stunt you pulled five years ago, they have reasons to detest you and your fleet."

Piper snorted. "And I have rights to pull that 'stunt'."

Starling held back a sigh. "We've been through this, captain. Besides, a council is not like a club house. You don't just resign or quit. In their eyes, you are a traitor, even though you carry the badge of the Storm Hawks." She said with another level of seriousness. "Did you know what I had to go through to convince my supervisors into dropping the charges against you?"

Piper did not move her gaze. "I am very aware of that, Starling. I regret that I cannot, and will not apologize for my actions, and nor will I change my mind; but I can say that you don't have to bend the rules for us even though you have had a history with us."

Starling shook her head. "I'm not doing this because of our friendship, Piper." She leaned into her seat and propped her elbows on the table. "I just believe in what you do. Of course, I do not deny that I dislike the new rules the authority put up daily, but that's how they want to keep order in this new era of peace."

Piper nodded. "I understand that too, but it takes more than a squadron to work." She bitterly remembered when she first heard the law that was passed a couple of years after Atmos was cleared of Cyclonias. One in particular still made her grit her teeth - the authorization to transfer any members of squadrons 'whenever the council deems fit'.

Piper put her hands on the armrest. "We were a family. They can't just keep rotating members whom we have known for years." She ran over the names of previous Storm Hawks members. "Lynne, Derra, Hayez, Ortiz, Mammo, Weta, Piot'n, Deza, Kite, Kel-Gan, Guko, Raven, Wes, Coheed, Tennera, Ulik, and you…" She frowned. "You all came and went, like a foreign exchange student programme. This is not like some club house either. Besides, three of them would still be standing here today if they weren't transferred for that stupid mission in the Deep and Terra Bogaton." Piper drummed her fingers on the desk. "Plus, it's not like I'm running a vigilante squad - what we do is legal, so they can't hate us for still being around."

"And you started the trend of providing escort services to passing merchant ships." Starling nodded in satisfaction. "That was a smart move."

"And it pays for our meals and bills." Stork added in. "Now, for the other reason you dragged us into the lecture?"

Starling pulled out some folders and handed them to Piper and Stork. "Fourteen years ago, you and Junko posed as Ravess and Snipe and intercepted a delivery for Cyclonis in Terra Saharr." She caught Piper and Stork raising an eyebrow. "I was an Interceptor, remember? I am very resourceful, and being in my current position helps." She then focused entirely on Piper. "Care to fill in the details?"

Piper frowned slightly, trying to pull some old memories from the past. "We discovered it was a cloning crystal, powered only by solar means." Piper started. "Finn was the one to figure that one out, only by accident. Before we know it, he had made an army of himself – perfect clones, right down to his mannerisms. In fact, they are too perfect, they share mutual pain when one gets hit."

"Interesting." The other woman considered.

"It gets more interesting than that." Piper agreed. "Snipe managed to retrieve the crystal back from us, and by the time we caught up to him, he had cloned himself by the hundreds – Who knows why. Luckily, we figured how to reverse the effects. We did it by lunar means in opposition to its power source."

"And what happened to the crystal?" Starling inquired.

"It shattered." The other woman stated. "We also discovered that it has a limit after all. For sure, we're glad it did. Who knows what Cyclonis might do with it if she did get a hold on it."

"What indeed." Starling pondered before sliding a picture over. "Would you say this is how the cargo would look like?"

Piper nodded. "Definitely. I can remember the markings and designs quite well. It's very unique."

Starling lifted her eyebrow. "Is it?"

Piper and Stork looked back at Starling in puzzlement.

"Piper…" Starling began. "If the incident was fourteen years ago, this picture was taken twelve years ago."

* * *

"Come on, Ravess, you have to eat something." Snipe offered a piece of bread. "It's good. I promise. See?" He took a bite, but his sister still appears to be sulking. "Look, I'm sorry that I messed up real good, but Cyclonis will get us out of here, and you can get to play your violin again, right? So don't look too glum." He smiled. Ravess continued to pout and ignored him. His shoulders drooped, but hunched them back up when the cellar door opened.

After ordering the guards to leave, Piper and Starling stepped into the cell room. "Hello, Snipe." Starling greeted the huge man.

Snipe snarled at them "Go away! Can't you say you're scaring my sister?" He stood between them and Ravess.

"I assure you, we won't do anything to her." The older woman promised.

The man snarled and came charging at the full speed, only to get yanked back by the chain that held him. "Yeah, you'd better!" He yelled. "Or you'll get what's coming to you!"

Starling dared to take a step towards the chained Cyclonian. "If we did, you have every right to."

Piper frowned. "Starling, are you sure-"

"Snipe, fourteen years ago, you were sent to pick up a package for Master Cyclonis. It contained a cloning crystal, remember?" Starling deliberately spoke slowly.

Snipe frowned in confusion. "Cloning… Crystal…?"

Starling nodded. "Yes, a cloning crystal." She pulled out the picture of the object. "This one. Remember?"

Suddenly, something in the huge man's head snapped into place, and he instantly recognized Piper who had been standing quietly behind Starling. "All hail Cyclonis." He grinned. "She's gonna get you for foiling her plans, Storm Hawk. Oh yes, she will."

Piper frowned. "What plan, Snipe? And who was the package from?"

But that momentary glint in his eyes had faded, and he begun to shuffle back towards his corner. "Hey Ravess, are you sure you ain't hungry? It's getting cold."

Piper took a step forward. "Snipe-"

Starling put a hand in front of the other woman. "I doubt that even he knows it, Piper." Both women took one last look at the fallen soldier, and then they left him to his peace.

Snipe brushed his sister's hair. "Cyclonis will definitely destroy the Storm Hawks, Ravess. She will do that, and we'll be out in no time." He then attempted to feed her his share of bread to her.

Stork peeled himself off the door frame the moment Piper and Starling appeared. "Well?" He asked. When Piper shook her head, he stepped aside for a guard to secure the cell door. Stork watched the unkempt man inside mumbling to an empty corner for a while, shook his head sadly, and then he turned to follow the women.

Somehow, somewhere in the deep recess of their minds, Piper and Stork remembered their first mission together. It was starting to make sense now - the sudden change in the air current, the cloning crystal... "So… what are have you been up to, Cyclonis…." Stork asked no one in particular. So many questions from the past...

* * *

_Sorry it took me forever since my last update, and I'm sorry it hasn't reached a core point yet. I will get to it very soon._

_EDIT: There is a sketch of how I think Piper would ideally look like in my fiction (except her clothes). Head over to the link below and check it out if you wish. Thanks for reading again, and I do appreciate some reviews so I know how it is so far :(_

Piper:  
http :/kusut-masai. / 2008/09/ piper. html  
(don't forget to remove the spaces between them)


	5. 05 Wind Shear

Hi all! Sorry it took me forever and it will be a short chapter.

A small note: When I was planning and writing this, I have not watched halfway through season two, so some sequence may be out of order and/or random out-of-character moments. I will, however, make adjustments as soon as I manage to sit down and watch through all of the episodes.

* * *

**05 WIND SHEAR**

"Why didn't I see this?" Piper seethed.

Stork looked around cautiously as they made their way back to the Condor. "Pardon?"

"Later." Piper promised him, and then she paused in front of the entrance long enough to let the pilot deactivate the security for them. She stepped in after her second-in-command and waited for the laser trajectory to finish scanning them.

"_Scanning completed. Foreign contamination and electronic interference not detected. You may proceed,"_ Beeped the Condor's AI security.

Piper exhaled in relief. She was thankful that Stork took the initiative to install the security measure in every part of the ship eleven years ago. It burned a hole through their savings, but it was worth it. They cannot risk being bugged again. Piper then lead Stork into the Condor's meeting room and activated the signal interference before shutting the door. "I always thought that it did not feel right." She started.

Stork sat down in one of the chairs opposite her. "It's Cyclonis, Piper. When is it ever right?" He reminded her.

Piper ran a hand through her short mop of blue. "I know that, but it just bugs me why I didn't see this before. How come no one saw it either?" She then took a seat. "And why must it be us?"

Stork leaned into his seat and clasped his hands together. "We were there during most of the important events. However, the most important thing at the moment-" He waited for his captain to look at him. "Is what do we do now, captain?"

Piper's eyebrows flinched only slightly, a sure sign that only Stork had recognized that the captain has some ideas in order.

* * *

Limpet tapped her mentor's shoulder and pointed at the red bike parked in the hangar. "Uh-oh." She announced.

Junko followed her extended claw and felt his eyebrows raise in concern. "I wonder...?"

Zhayne eased his bike into a stop and warily studied the foreign vehicle. "What? What's wrong?"

"You'll see." Creep answered as he hopped off Junko's ride and nervously strode towards the bridge.

Zhayne curiously followed his crew mates, and as the door to the hallways slid open, he could hear the pilot's shout carrying through. He leaned in closer towards Limpet. "Should I draw out my weapon?"

Limpet shook her head. "No, that won't be necessary at all."

Junko then stopped in front of the door leading into the bridge, and faced the younger crew. "Alright, everyone. Just be cool, okay?" At everyone's nod, the wallop took a tentative step towards the door. The moment the door slid open, Stork immediately ceased yelling, Piper turned her glare away from the pilot, and between them, was an adult man with fiery red hair. He slowly turned to the newcomers and flashed a radiant smile. His emerald eyes glittered. "Junko! Limpet! Creep! Wow, it's good to see you again."

Limpet stepped towards the man and hugged him. Creep gave him a high-five, and Junko exchanged a firm wrist clasp with the human male.

"What brings you here, Kite?" Junko rumbled in his good nature.

Kite shrugged. "That's for your captain to brief you all."

Zhane stopped in his tracks. "Wait, you're Kite? The former Storm Hawks ballistics expert?"

The adult man turned his face to the younger male in the room. "That was five years ago, but the same." He shrugged. "And you must be Zhayne?"

"Yes, that would be me." The Amazonian beamed.

"Excellent!" The older man strode towards the adolescent and gripped his hand in a solid handshake. "I heard that you're quite the marksman, and also a brilliant medicine man to ever hail from Terra Amazonia. It must be exciting to be part of the team, yes?"

"It has been wild. I can't believe I finally get to meet you." Zhayne grinned. "You do have an amazing reputation."

"Tell me about it." Grumbled Stork from his station.

Piper shot her helmsman a warning glare. "Kite has been a valuable asset to the team."

"Aw, no." Kite waved his hand dismissively. "I had a brilliant captain - she utilized her crews' talents quite well."

"And let's hope that is the case." Piper let a smile slid onto her face. Behind her, Stork's face darkened slightly. "Into the meeting room, everyone." Automatically, they made their way towards the corner of the Condor, with Zhayne and Limpet in the rear. He took the opportunity to lean towards his companion.

"He's not so bad. What's with all the fuss earlier?" He whispered.

"Stork."

"What about him?"

She glanced at him and shook her head. "Later." Limpet promised him.

* * *

"So can you do this?" Piper looked up at Kite.

Kite drummed his fingers on the table and studied the map once more. "It will be difficult, but not impossible." He nodded. "All I need is just a certain pass and excuse why I have to take that route."

Piper grinned. "Shall I ring up some old favours?"

Kite leaned into his seat and folded his hands behind his back. "Naw. There are privileges to being a high-class merchant, don't you know? Also, I might be in time for the bazaar in the neighboring terra." He pulled out a thin root from his satchel and began tucking it between his lips. "I'm more concerned about other matters, though."

Zhayne, Limpet and Creep looked up at him. Junko was still going over the map. Stork rolled his eyes and draped an arm lazily over his seat.

Piper crossed her arms. "Such as?"

Kite balanced the root between his teeth. "My crew. While they hold you all in high regard, a few might get cold feet once I drop the details of the route."

"How will that be a problem?" Piper folded her arms.

"There is a superstition going about - the Storm Hawks has a talent for attracting trouble." Kite shrugged.

Stork grunted. "You don't say."

The redhead lifted his hands. "Look, my job is to ferry some merchandise between terras, and success in delivering them also means that my crew will be fed well. When our mission is to cruise very close to this maelstrom," He pointed at the map. "There is a forty to seventy-five percent chance that something might affect our salary or even our lives."

"So are you going chicken now?" Stork sneered.

"Heck, no." Kite shook his head. "I am all up for throwing myself into the storm and see how long it can handle me, but my men have families they'd want to come home to. Most of them are the specialists who make sure the ship runs."

"That is why I've taken careful measurements to make sure everything will go smoothly." Piper tried to assure him. "If everything goes well, we might get some information."

"I've no doubts about your strategy and plans, Captain." Kite raised an eyebrow. "But if information is all that you need, we could always prowl the surrounding terras and poke about."

Piper shook her head. "Rumors have very little value in the court. We just need a strong evidence to support my suspicions."

Kite nodded once. "Alright. I guess I could try to dangle some carrot in front of them. However," He leaned forward. "The only way we could do this is we travel through here," His fingers traces along the map. "And dock on this terra for a day and night to restock our supplies. That should give you all enough time to take off to investigate what's brewing in that little corner. It should be about three to four hours flight to get there."

Junko nodded. "Sounds good to me."

Limpet turned to look at Kite. "Will your men notice us taking off?"

Kite smiled at the aquanos female. "I calculated that if we travel within twenty-five to twenty-seven knots, we might reach this terra just before nightfall. My crew would want to scatter for food or lodging by the time we dock."

"But won't they notice an empty parking bay in the morning?" Creep asked.

"Eh, I have ways to keep them busy." The man shrugged. "Even if they do, I can cover for you."

"Alright then; when we dock on that terra, we'll stretch our legs for two or three hours, refuel the ship and check for repairs. We'll leave after the sun goes down." Piper declared.

"If I may ask, Captain?" Zhayne waited for Piper to nod. "What are we looking for?"

Everyone turned their head to the captain of the Condor. "The eye of the storm." Piper replied.

* * *

_**11 years ago.**_

_There is a saying – "_you forget what you learn_". However, too few understand the meaning of it, since there are many theories behind the strange proverb. But she understood it, at least by her experience. And now, she has every reason to forget the deep gash riding up her left thigh. She needed to- the lives of every free citizen of Atmos depend on it._

_Since her scooter had crashed earlier, there is no way but to make a run for it. But she can't, at least not like this. Besides, she will be an easy target if she tried anyway. She quickly scanned the skies and found what she wanted. She fumbled with the device on her wrist and quickly punched a button. "Finn! I'm on the west side of the walls!" She waved her free arm and retracted it just before a small energy blast fly by it, but not just before catching Finn's attention. He quickly got rid of the offending Talon who also caught sight of the crystal expert, although he felt a slight remorse when he saw the soldier go down into the wasteland._

_Finn punched a button on his bike. "Piper? What happened to sticking to the plan?" He hollered amidst the whizzing of projectiles and screaming around him. _

"_No time! Clear the path for me!" She said urgently._

_He made a round and made a mental count of obstacles in front of her. _Plenty_, he summarized with a sigh. "Say please and I'll do it with a smile!" He radioed while reloading his crossbow._

"_FINN!" Screeched the radio._

_The sharpshooter took a short breath and gripped tighter onto the handles. "You owe me a dozen sandcakes for this!" He yelled into the radio and then proceeded to make a nosedive. Finn shot at a few of the Talons and whizzed past them. "Man, did you guys really graduate military school?" He taunted along his way._

_Piper exhaled in relief when the Talon gave chase to the blur of blue. She pushed herself off the column and dashed off as fast as she could towards the other end of the wall. Suddenly, an explosion went off from her right, forcing her to tumble quickly to the opposite side. She pressed her body as tightly as she can of what's left of the Cyclonian parapet and peered to the side. Automatically, she extended her staff. Three Talons have seen her, and are diving in with their weapons out. She had no choice but to face them, since the sky is already burning with so much chaos and every help has his or her hands full._

_Suddenly, the Condor rammed into the three Soldiers before they could even land on the building. Stork yelped in terror and quickly punched a button. The stunned Talons were easily dealt with giant wipers, and Stork resumed maneuvering his beloved Condor away from the pursuing Cyclonian armada close behind him. He veered immediately when he saw an oncoming energy bolt and let it hit the armada. It did not do much damage to the monstrosity, but at least one of it engines was affected. Still, there is the shooting Cyclonian frigate in front of him. "Of all the ships in this battlefield, you have to shoot this one!" He wailed as he pulled the steering up._

_Remembering to thank the small change of luck, Piper quickly scampered to the entrance of the building. Luck is all they need to end this. But then, there is another saying – "_Luck favors the prepared_"._

_Either by fate or destiny, they weren't prepared for that day._

* * *

Piper sat up in her sheets and found herself entangled in them. It took her a moment to steady her breathing and find the floor. In the next minute, she found herself pacing on the deck of the ship. She rounded a corner and spotted two figures sitting on the Condor, staring out into the night.

"It was that bad?" a male voice asked.

A female voice hummed. "I wouldn't know." She shrugged. "But I did keep waking up to their shouting match. I don't really know what it was mostly about, but I have a suspicion that Stork doesn't fully trust him."

"How come?"

"I was only fourteen, but if I remember," She pulled herself into a sitting position. "Stork was shouting something about him being a bad influence to our captain. Kite was transferred off the next day, and I think it was on Stork's order."

"No way." He sat up as well. "He could do that?"

"Stork is the second-in-command, so he can make calls in the captain's... absence." Limpet pointed out.

"But why?"

"Back then, I wouldn't say Kite was a bad person; just... wild."

Zhayne turned towards his companion. "Define that."

"I don't really like to paint people in bad light, you know." Limpet scratched behind her ear. "But Kite did continue to visit and help us out whenever he can, and he's somewhat mellowed down over the years. It's bad to burn bridges, said captain."

The marksman opened his mouth to speak, but he clicked it close again. He nodded and returned to stargazing. "I wonder what they are doing now?"

"Who?" Limpet leaned most of her weight onto her knee.

"My sisters."

At that, Piper decided to quietly walk away. She padded through the hallways of the Condor bare-footed and soon found herself staring at a certain door. The woman slipped into the room and stared at the empty bed. She then heard a light rap on the door, and turned to find her pilot staring back at her.

"I'll be heading back to my room soon." Piper promised him.

Stork stared at her, and then shifted his gaze to the bed before her. After a while, the merb stepped into the room and sat on the floor with his captain, and they both stared at the bed together.

"Stork?"

"Hm?"

"I miss him."

"...We all do."

Piper leaned onto her knees and turned her head towards Stork. "You were right about me."

Stork peered at his captain suspiciously. "Which one?"

8888

_Piper shoved Stork away, her mind furiously trying to string her words together. "This is my life!"_

_"And you are our captain." He tried to reason with her. "Please, Piper. We need you."_

_"And what about my needs?" She waved the empty bottle of liquor, missing his head by an inch. "Everyday it's Piper this, Piper that! Everyday! No one would listen to me, no!"_

_Stork pried the bottle out of her hands. "We're here. We'll listen to you. You just need to start talking to us again."_

_"Hah!" The young woman wrestled for the bottle, and Stork could scent the strong alcohol wafting off her. "What good will that do? He won't come back!"_

_"And neither will chasing every redhead you see." Stork quickly flung the bottle out of the window and grabbed her by the shoulders. "Piper, please. You and Junko are the only ones left of my 'family'. Don't destroy yourself."_

_Piper's bloodshot eyes glared at him defiantly. "Says the person who destroyed my chance of happiness."_

_"Listen to yourself." Stork gritted his teeth. "He's not Aerrow, and he never will be. Tell me, what would Aerrow say if he sees you like this today?" A moment later, he felt a sharp slap on his cheek. He blinked the stars out of his eyes and stared fearfully at his captain. Without warning, he suddenly found a sobbing woman on his chest._

_"I miss him." She wailed._

_Stork nodded, and awkwardly patted his captain's head and led her to her chambers, where she soon fell asleep._

_8888_

Piper got up and patted the pilot's shoulder. Stork watched her exit, and then shook his head. "Must be a bug." He muttered.

* * *

__

Thanks for reading. Please let me know how I'm doing. Comments and constructive critiques will be fully appreciated.


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